The Paladin of Lakeshire
by Sayberry
Summary: Duty, Honor, Committment. Sayberry Rae Gordon had known these words all her life, now she was about to learn the cost of living the ideals they encompassed.
1. Chapter 1: Final Duties

Pale morning light streamed through a high narrow window falling to gild an otherwise austere room. The bare stone and spartan furniture of Burbus's chamber managed to still look dignified even with nature ornamenting it so. Jessi packed into a trunk the few bundles of his possessions. Carefully sorting through missives in case there was some correspondent that she might have thus far overlooked that would have to be informed of his ... departure.

She smiled, planning what she'd say. Jessibell didn't want to lie outright, not to good folk, Lord Burbus's friends, but it was more important not to let any whisper of what truly happened get out. After all, they'd gone to great lengths to make the Horde think Burbus dead. The large public funeral, grief and outrage was all too real. It had drawn traitors from the woodwork. She was sure that the horde had heard of Burbus's demise by now. It wouldn't do to spoil it with hints.

Events had transpired so swiftly that it was more like a bad dream or a distant rumor. Asharan, his false protests of being a paladin, the foiled poisoning attempt on her at the ball, and now Burbus poisoned, Asharan dead. There had been signs, she supposed, but none had been wise enough to read them.

As she folded away the sheets and linens to be taken down to the keeps laundry Jessi thought of where Burbus slept now, tucked in beneath layers of spells safe in the heart of the knights keep. The healers called when Asharan's act became known. They had done their best against Sidicus's vile elixir. Lord Burbus had seemed dead. The younger, less experienced had been ready to prepare him for the grave. It was only Sir Phelps and Lady Ecco who'd seen a spark left. With careful enchantments they guarded and protected that last vestige of life. The poison was such, magical, demonic, physical, psychic, that preserving their Lord until such a time as he could be cured was all they could manage.

Looking about Jessibell found her hands had finished this last task while her mind had been busy with mournful reveries. She carried the load into the hall and, with one sad backward glance, closed the door.

* * *

Sayberry watched as Jessibell walked slowly away from her, down the corridor. _'The room is now empty.'_She thought to herself. No one would fault her if they saw her, caught her. There was such a revered silence here in this place, at this time of the day, that she walked as softly as she had ever walked in her life. This was the place where her lord had lived.

Her heart in her throat, her blood pounded hard in her ears, yet she could hear even the scrunching of a moth's wings on the window panes just down the hall. There was bright light there but not streaming in, the sun was on the far side of the hall at this hour.

She brought up her hands and placed a rose on the handle and then began to bind it there with a spell she had bought just to do this with. It would keep the rose fresh until the barrier was broken. Just as the seal went up, tears fell from her cheek. The first was caught just before it struck the rose. The next tear was absorbed by the seal while it firmed into existence creating a slight glow seen only in the darkest times of night.

And a single heartbeat was heard through-out the entire of the nether realms causing those most sensitive to the ebb and flow of the magics to pause a moment and share the sorrow of that tear.

"I will miss you." she whispered in a husky breath from a throat nearly closed from grief and crying. Then, with only Jessibell as witness, for she was not a Master Rogue for naught and had hidden in the shadows to see her, Say Hearthed to ShattrathCity and dashed away to her room where she cried anew for the loss of such a person. The loss of someone she could have even loved.

* * *

"**A TEAR **?!" Rage welled up from deep inside and overtook his mind. His bellow was heard through out the entire Citadel. At the precise moment when all the forces were coming together, binding his horrible enchant into the potion he needed to destroy his enemies, a shudder in the nether realms had caused him … HIM … to sob ever so lightly and shed a tear. The spell was ruined. It turned into mist and dispersed before his eyes. Two months of brewing, preparing, killing for the necessary ingredients, "**WASTED**!" he screamed. The door shattered into thousands of pieces as be stormed from his workroom.

The shadow N'gol heard the rumblings. She let her senses reach out and wrap around the rage. It intoxicated her. She stood there drinking in the increasing waves of hate as her lord and master came storming closer and closer to the Throne Room. Then the last door was thrown off its hinges and the ecstasy of the raw emotions filled her senses and thrilled her more than the human she had just tortured and killed a few moments ago. From him she had felt a moment of delicious grief and despair and then actually heard and felt the last beat of his heart. The fool must have had the heart of a Paladin and never knew it. That made it so much more delicious. But now, her eyes rolled back into her head as she gave herself over to the orgasm of emotions she had tapped into.

Sidicus entered the Throne Room with one thing on his mind, find his shade and have her search out the meaning of this tremor. As he entered he threw his arms wide to bellow her name and caught an executioner full in the chest throwing it against the wall. He heard its neck snap when it hit and then the slow slithering sound as it slumped down onto the floor behind him. He smiled viciously, quieted momentarily by the death. He turned to see who his unlucky victim used to be and was once again filled with unquenchable, unholy rage.

"BRING ME A PALADIN! **NOWWWWWW**!" N'gol's crumpled and lifeless body lay before him. He didn't remember her ever looking so … satisfied.


	2. Chapter 2: A New Start

Hours had passed since she came home and cried herself to sleep. No one there knew why. But they honored her grief by looking after her.

Suddenly she sat up in her bed. There was a discord in the harmonies. She heard it as plain as if cracked crystal was resonating right in front of her. But it was in the back of her head - right at the base of her skull - instead of in her ears. This time she reached out with her mind as Burbus had been teaching her to do. But he was not here and ... NO! Now was not the time to slip back into that abyss.

She reached out again and this time closed her eyes and began to see Lake Everstill. She saw many dead, man, woman and child with lifeless eyes staring, staring at her. And she saw herself facing one of the Horde that had invaded the town. He spoke but she did not hear his words. As the vision faded the Horde began to fall and something slipped from his hand.

She opened her eyes and got up. She began to put on her accoutrements. It was time to prepare for war.

* * *

**EXCERPT FROM SAYBERRY's JOURNAL**

**When the Griffin landed at LakeEverstill I had my mace at the ready. I had no idea what I would find there. Everything looked peaceful. I took a casual stance, relaxed but alert, and moved across the bridge and into Lakeshire itself. There was still no sign of trouble.**

**Children were running around or fishing. The men and women were going about their daily chores and duties with the same boredom of comfort that familiarity breeds. A few boats were on the water harvesting the fish that is the reason why this Shire was settled. A warrior stood in the prow of each boat with a pike at the ready. There had been sightings of some monsters and Murlocs swimming in the lake but I had yet to see the monsters. The Murlocs I have seen and believe. They seem to flourish wherever there is a body of water, and fish.**

**I had gone in search of two brave souls in Elwood Forrest once who had been sent to investigate Murloc incursions. All I found of them were their bones and Stormwind Guard Badges. Many Murlocs met their maker that day.**

**I sat down on the dock and began to fish. Myr dad had given me a pole a few days before he died so I keep it close. He used to go on and on while we fished about everything, it seemed. But now when I am fishing, I remember his words, and know he was teaching me in the only way he knew how. So many times just thinking about those talks has helped me get through some trying moments. And some boring ones too. I remembered the time he told me about the Great Folly. Grandfather told him of a box buried in the wilds that had a great treasure in it. He looked for that box for weeks in his youth.**

**When he finally found it after searching the same signs three or four times, it was buried just outside his bedroom window and all the box he found had in it was some scrolls. He determined to find out what they were and learned to read them. Days turned into weeks until he could cipher them. They were a letter from his Grandmother telling his father how important it was to learn how to read. Dad told me that was the real treasure, learning to read. He carried that treasure with him all the rest of his life. I could almost see the older parchments of his story as he showed me those same papers one day, and began to teach me how to read as well. **

**The discord is distant. Not as distant as it was when I was in ShattrathCity, but definitely more distant than when in Stormwind. Like my dad I must go back and search again.**

* * *

Flying time was time to think. She remembered her mom telling her that a long time ago.

It was kind of funny what she could remember, and what she couldn't. She couldn't remember the good times she had with the oldest of her five brothers before the dark days when he died in a riding accident.

She could remember when she saw her first kitten. It was all black and stumbled over everything and daddy was yelling at her brother Fentor behind her. Then there was her fear when a large black cat jumped out of the bushes. She saw her daddy suddenly in front of her with the sword from above the fireplace, the sheathe flying through the air, while Fentor scooped her up and then she was flying into the house.

Her brother Mardok took the kitten to IronForge with him the next day where he trained it to be his pet, not hers. She pouted for a week until the trip with her mother to Stormwind.

* * *

High up in the hills overlooking the pretty little town of Lakshire war drums were beating. Someone had stirred up the Blackrock Orcs.

Padding silently through the velvet shadows Rhyanna peered out through bushes and bracken trying to catch sight or smell of who had whacked this hornet's nest. The end of her tail switched in frustration at so many Orcs being so near. It was all she could do to not take her claws to them. That would only send the culprit to ground. Then she'd be back here in a few months time, trying to clean up the mess before it spilled over into the town. People, innocents, could get hurt. Because that's all the horde seemed to do. Hurt people, hurt the land. She couldn't understand how they'd managed to build any kind of civilization, not wiped themselves out to the last green brute standing then died howling alone in the hills somewhere back in ancient times.

Nothing. Not a track or scrap was here about this camp to show what happened to the boys who had set out on this expedition. With a sigh that made an elegant moue of her whiskers, the druid disappeared as she moved south. There must be something at one of their enclaves to point out who was behind this.


	3. Chapter 3: The Long Road Begins (pt1)

She blessed Griffin Master Dungar with Wisdom upon arrival and thanked him for the excellent training he and his guild had been giving each other and their Griffins. This was a practice she had learned from her mother when she was small enough to have to ride in her lap. He bowed to her in return as he always did and then put on his business face again and turned to the next rider demanding his attention. Then it was on through the city until she was staring up, up, up at the spires of the Cathedral at Stormwind.

The Cathedral steps felt like an old friend to her today. The greetings were all the usual ones she had heard over and over again while she lived and trained here. She made her way through the many seemingly deserted corridors to the secret door that let her into the Paladin Training area.

There she dutifully knelt and prayed and listened until she was certain there were no uninitiated in the small room. Her fingers knew the code without her even thinking about it and the floor under the prayer bar rotated around. She was now on the other side of the wall.

One more door and she would be in the woman's barracks, then the baths. Oh for a long soak in the Radiant waters of the Cathedral.

Time melted into hours as she allowed the waters to melt away the aches and strains of her body.

* * *

It was early morning, just at sunrise, and Duthorian Rall walked through the training area like a man possessed. He looked at no one and talked to no one. He just walked through, carrying a book and praying, intent on his goal. Finally he stopped at the arena set aside for Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker, the current leader of the Knights of the Silver Hand and head of the Paladin Training program at the Cathedral in Southwind.

It was not normal these days to see someone keeping up with lord Grayson, but today he was glistening with sweat and breathing deeply. He was in the middle of a very complicated move when Duthorian approached. Sayberry blocked him at that precise moment when he was transferring all his energies forward into the attack. Needless to say, he found himself sitting on his … training mats looking up the long shaft of the training mace at his opponent.

"Hold". He spoke in a controlled voice. He was personally happy he could still firm up his diaphragm enough to do that after hitting the mat so hard. "I believe Duthorian needs to speak with me."

Sayberry lowered her mace and bowed to Lord Grayson, then smiled as she shifted all her weight to the right leg and placed her left leg slightly behind her. It was the very stance that bothered Lord Grayson the most, the one that she was in as he began his last attack. She should not have been able to block him.

"Actually," began Duthorian, "I am here to see Miss Gordon." He handed her the Tome. The discord in Sayberry's head began to mellow as she took the book. Was this what she was here to find?

Duthorian was speaking again, "Valor, and all the virtues that go along with it, are like rare minerals: you must cherish them when you find them because of their value, but you must also take time to harvest them... refine them. When mixed together properly, a strong alloy is formed, sometimes unbreakable by even the most powerful of blows.

"This strength, your faith, your bravery, must be tested. You must learn to never lose faith and realize that with the power of the Light, you can overcome things that most others cannot." He watched Sayberry as she looked at the Tome.

"So, how do I begin?" Sayberry looked at Duthorian not just asking a question, but expecting the answer. Duthorian was not known for approaching Paladins; he usually waited for them to come to him. There must be more to this.

"Ah, you wish to petition me for a test of valor. Splendid." She had swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker. "There are many tasks throughout the city and surrounding lands that hold much challenge, and they could use a woman with your skills.

"However, this test should not be taken lightly, Sayberry. This, like many things along our path, could take our lives. The Church always wishes to bolster its ranks, but it understands the sacrifices needed to ensure the Paladins serving it are worthy. Are you prepared?"

Sayberry put away her training tools, wrapped a towel around her neck, and returned to Duthorian. "I am ready, where shall I start?"

"Good!" Duthorian was obviously pleased. So was Lord Grayson. "Your lack of hesitation is a sure sign that you are prepared and eager to test yourself. So be it.

"At the very ends of Westfall's Longshore, a small house overlooks the ocean. There, a couple lives, the Stilwells. Jordan is an incredible smith, and he's gone to Ironforge to meet with the Dwarves for a while. But this has left Daphne, his wife, alone and unprotected.

"Reports suggest that the Defias have all but taken over the area, Daphne may need some protection from the villains. Go there."

Say bowed and turned in a movement as fluid as a ballerina and left for the baths without another word. Lord Grayson came to stand by Duthorian even as she was passing through the doorway. "Are you sure of this my friend?" Grayson tentatively spoke in a whisper so as not to be overheard by anyone.

"More certain today than any other to this date. You forget maybe, I met her Great Grand Dame who she is the spitting image of except for the color of her hair."

Lord Grayson smiled the more, "And you forget, I rode with her Great Grand-Dame on the very quest that changed her hair, and saved the kingdom."


	4. Chapter 3: The Long Road Begins (pt2)

N'gol could remember almost nothing of the death of that human she had been torturing. She was so looking forward to that shedding of despair. She fed off such emotions; hate, despair, sorrow and death were the best. She looked forward to despair since it tasted so different from any of the others. And now she could not remember it. It must have been wonderful, that was why she was so satisfied with her feeding when the Blood Elf Paladin resurrected her. But she could not remember.

And now, she was NOT happy. Sitting in a darkened room high atop the Keep searching the nether realms for an emotion of all things. Because her lord had bollixed a spell. But it was not-his-fault. HA!

As for this supposed emotion Sidicus had felt just as he was binding the spirit of that Paladin he had killed to his mixture? She doubted he was sensitive enough to have actually felt any such thing. He was just fumble-fingered and must have dropped the essence globe.

That spirit had belonged to a powerful enemy of them all. Sidicus had planned and brewed that poisoning for months before he gave it to a Blood Elf to shadow walk into that tavern. She remembered the delicious fear of the Elf as she waited outside. A tavern full of Alliance warriors and he was to shadow-walk in to poison the brew of only one. And then get out undetected.

Her questing of the nether realms touched something delicious. She paused in surprise. It seemed to move away from her. Nonsense, she must have been using too much power and simply pushed it away.

Her full attention was on her questing now. She surrounded it, tasted it again, it was delicate, definitely _feminine_. She tried to grasp it and was jolted. It was gone now. That jolt must have meant she had destroyed it. No, not gone. There was a trail. It …. It had fled! It has been imbued somehow. That jolt was an attack! That jolt was masculine. A feminine essence with a masculine spir…_the spirit Sidicus lost__!_There were implications here that could not be ignored!

It was a good thing that Paladin they called Burr-butt, was dead. It was his spirit Sidicus captured and lost. If his body were not rotting in the grave ...

* * *

Topping the rise, Sayberrys' searching eyes finally found the homestead she had been searching for. It was beautiful. An orchard was thriving near the cliffs edge to the right with the home nestled against the rocks on the inside of the natural shelf. A woman, most likely Daphne, was working in the orchard. Say had taken her time getting here. Her battle with an undead had been vicious, but rewarding in that she now had a more powerful mace to fight with. And the defias brotherhood was thick at the foot of the mountains so she did not want to attract their curiosity.

Daphne had seen her. She stopped her work and casually rested her hand on a long knife she had with her. "Hello. I'm assuming by all that armor and weaponry of yours, you're either here to try and take my land, or the Church finally sent someone to help protect me while my Jordan's gone?"

"My name is Sayberry. I was sent here by Duthorian Rall from the Cathedral of Stormwind to help you."

Daphne nodded. "Now, you're not too late... I've only killed a half dozen of the scum since last sun up. They've been a little slow getting 'round the bend up there, but they probably saw you coming, which means they'll probably be here any minute.

"Now, they'll be coming again soon, I'd wager, so get yourself ready." She was obviously tense so Sayberry just let her keep talking as she chose her weapons.

"I've got myself a gun in the house. I'll grab it and be ready to help you out, but for the most part, you're on your own." Daphne cast about all the while she was talking, scanning the trees, the hedges and the uneven ground for any evidence of infiltrators.

"Now, I've no idea how many they'll send, but I'm sure it'll be more than the few they sent earlier. Ask the Light for whatever blessings you can because... did you hear that? I think they're coming. We make our stand near the house!" Daphne ran off before Sayberry could comment, so off she went as well.

For most of the rest of the day, the fighting was fast and furious. Defias came at her and Daphne in waves. The last wave was the worst. But Daphne with her gun and Sayberry with her Paladin training, her shield, and her new mace prevailed.

At one point, a bolt of dark energy shot out from her mace at the man she was turning to meet. This was something she had never seen before. It almost seemed to have taken the fight out of him, and when he straightened up he moved a little slower. Just slow enough so that Say was able to get one more hit in before he could swing. That was his last moment in this life.

"We've done it, Sayberry! Thank you for your help. You were truly amazing out there. I never thought a Paladin could handle so many enemies at once." Daphnie was extending a mug to her. It was the most wonderful cool spring water Say felt she had ever tasted.

"You've truly shown bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. Please, stay here tonight. And in the morning you may return to Duthorian and let him know that I'm safe for now. I have you and the Church to thank for that. He'll send word to Ironforge to let my Jordan know that he has nothing to fear.

"Oh, how I miss my husband, I can't wait till he returns."

They spent the rest of the daylight hours moving the bodies to the edge of the cliffs and throwing them over, into the sea. There were quite a few little trinkets, weapons and pieces of silver and gold to sort through. Daphne wanted none of it so Say bundled what she wanted into one of her packs and threw the rest either into the fire or over the cliffs to rest with their previous owners.

Dinner was Westfall Stew and fresh bread. Say slept lightly by the door. '_Yes'_, she thought, '_this was a very beautiful home_.' She was glad she had been sent here to help.

* * *

He had been overjoyed at the success of the operation, absolutely giddy with it. He had shown the soul pouch for days to anyone he passed. He actually wore it around his neck until he had delivered it to the Mighty Sidicus. He didn't care what Sidicus wanted it for. He was just glad beyond measure that the usurper Burbus was dead.

First Tordec, then Invictus, Nalea, Treestalker, Sprawn and now Burbus. Soon the Guardians of Virtue would rise again. He laughed to himself while crossing the bridge. The children fishing there hunkered down trying to get away from the sound.

He reined his mount and dismounted at the inn. When he had unpacked what he wanted from the saddlebags he tossed a copper to the man who came out at his approach and walked inside without a backwards glance.

The man had just finished a wonderful breakfast when he came out of the Lakeshire Inn. He began to stretch his back for a moment when he felt something fall into his hand. He looked at the copper and shrugged before pocketing it. _It was going to be a good day_, he thought to himself and picked up his pail and rod and headed off to the dock for another day of fishing.


	5. Chapter 3: The Long Road Begins (pt3)

The city of Stormwind was everything she knew it would be, boisterous, loud, and never stopping. So many people from all over the Alliance flocked here for as many reasons as there were people here. She remembered her first visit, with her mother, to find some linen for the household. They took forever to find a cloth vendor.

She remembers it taking all day long to look through every section of the city before finding a clothier in the Trade District. The Old Town was full of mystery for her. The Armory there had people running in and out all the time. The Dwarven district was full of hammer blows and dirt and dust. She did not like that place.

Even then she had an affinity for the high-spired Cathedral that became such a focus to her many years later, but on this trip they did not go inside. They had a picnic lunch in the Park. The Mage District was full of awe and wonder, and a moment of fear as the Stockades erupted with fighting while they were passing it. They even found some ice cream near the inn where she had her nap.

She found the regents shop, just where it had been so many years ago. It took but a few moments to make her purchase. She felt both lighter, now that she had it, and heavier, now that she admitted to herself that she needed it.

The dreams had been coming more and more frequently. Sometimes even during unguarded moments during the day. But they all had the feel of premonition so she had begun to plan accordingly. She refused to believe her future was written in stone so she began to find ways to prepare for what she may not be able to avoid.

The warlock in the shop told her you cannot stop a DropDead once it was sent, she hoped he was right.

The steps of the Cathedral were like old friends rising up to meet her. Every step raised her spirits.

"So, we meet again Sayberry," Duthorian Rall was at his driest after the mid-day meal, "and you are in high spirits, I see."

"I succeeded in my quest your Grace, Daphne is safe, and the beautiful house she shares with her husband, is still a home." Sayberry gave her account of what happened. She failed to mention the magical bolt that drained life from her enemy vowing to herself that she would mention it if ever there was a next time.

"The Stilwell home will be safe for another day, and from your story I see that there was no shortage of danger to be found. Well done.

"Daphne and Jordan have helped the Church greatly, and having you protect their property-and their very lives-was the least we could do for them.

"For your valor, you will be rewarded."

"No reward is necessary, your Grace. I was performing the task for my benefit as well as theirs." Sayberry turned to go.

"Actually, I have no doubt that Jordan himself would like to thank you, and seeing as I need a messenger to send word that his wife is safe, I think you'd be a perfect choice." Sayberry turned back to face Duthorian, _There were times when he would not be swayed, _Sayberry thought, _This must be one of them_.

Duthorian continued, "Jordan was to be a Paladin of the Light before his dedication to his father's craft took him on another path-he's intimately familiar with our way of life and is considered among our most faithful.

"He should still be in Ironforge-he likes to work outside the gates during the day, something about the cool mountain air."

"Then I will be off immediately." Sayberry hesitated this time before turning to go. Then she was on her way to Ironforge.

* * *

_'He had to get away, had to report what he had seen, had to tell the mistress about the body in the sanctuary with all the magic spells around it. But he had not been fooled, Oh no, not him. He felt the dampened magics from the sea and followed the telltales to the keep. He had seen the glow deep through the rocks. He squirmed through rat holes and had seen the body. He knew who it was. It was the one he was told was dead.'_

The imps' thoughts were all too easy to read, its urgency too easy to see. Nikyta had sensed the diabolic energies of the creature as it breached certain wards of the knights keep. It was quick and slippery, she'd just managed to trap it outside the keep. Holding it as well as her own minions was a strain. Nikyta wished Durti or Hiachi were here. Both were more accomplished than her. The invisible cords spun about it softer than gossamar. The tiny creature couldn't sense it was held. Older, stronger ties still bound it to it's owner. Those where what Nikyta needed to trace and follow now. Who was it running to?  
_  
'Run, run, run, run. Get away to where it will be safe to send word. Run, run, run . . . He must tell his mistress.'  
_  
She searched its memory until she saw the form that scared it the most. The face wasn't one Nikyta knew, but the wall behind her had the emblem of the Horde, the very clan that Sidicus lead.

She needed to send a dispatch herself now. A magic message could be traced back to here, and that was unacceptable. It had been a long time since she had seen other knights, but it was time to pay a visit. Jessibell, Sam, Velthor, Tindreath, maybe even Phelps, she'd need to speak with one of the council. There were some reagents she could use from Stormwind anyway, so she could use the errand as an excuse and just "happen" to bump into the knights while there. Her mind was made up.

_It was running, running, running away from the keep but thr keep wouldn't go away! _He began to despair. '_Run, run, run, run, runfaster! Run, run, …'_

* * *

Say took the Tram to Ironforge. It always mesmerized her to go through the tubes that were under water. Then around to the great entrance of the Dwarven city where she found who she was looking for. Ironforge was built into the mountain. As far as she could tell, it occupied the entire top third of it. Some people believed it went down several thousands of meters to the roots of the mountain as well.

She believed that the reason the entire land around the mountain was locked in eternal winter was because the Dwarves long ago had tapped into the fire inside the earth and bent it to their will. The Great Forge seemed to attest to this theory.

Churning and bubbling up from some unknown depth was the blood of the Earth, the hot magma that provided the warmth for the residents and visitors to the mountain, and the power that drove the forges. How it could be kept from spilling over like so many volcanoes do from time to time, she had no idea. The Magic that had harnessed this force no longer existed. Surrounding the life blood of the heart of the mountain was the Great Forge that worked day and night.

The Dwarves living in Ironforge were masters at working iron. Every race in the Alliance sent their brightest and best here to be trained. It was no wonder that Jordan worked here now.

She found Jordan right outside the main gates to the city. He had a work area set up just off the main road. He became very excited when she told him the news of his wife and homestead.

"I'd like to reward you if you'd be willing to accept such a thing? Don't misunderstand me, my generosity is dependent on how much help you can be, but I see us both benefiting greatly from such an alliance.

"I will craft for you a weapon worthy of what you've accomplished, a symbol of Paladinhood and the Light, but you must gather the items I need to craft it. I've already started taking notes on the items; it just requires someone brave and skilled enough to recover them. What do you say, Sayberry?" Jordan held out to her a small sheave of papers.

As she took the list, Jordan continued. "The items you're seeking will be difficult to acquire, but I can assure you, the weapon I will craft for you will be worth the effort.

"It will be my finest work to date, and only a small payment for the service you've done me."

She left with the list and was walking and reading it when she bumped into a Night Elf Hunter, literally, and found herself automatically stepping back into a defensive stance. But when she realized who it was she leapt up and hugged his neck hard. "TREESTALKER!"


	6. Chapter 4: Chess Pieces (pt1)

"The battle for Stonewatch Keep has been successful, my lord."

The words still rang sweet in Sidicus' ears. It was the first step in taking the Redridge province. The Blackrock orcs traveled from the Burning Steppes, through the mountains to the east and claimed Stonewatch Keep from behind. From there they could maraud the areas at the east end of Lake Everstill and around until they cut off any possibility of help coming from the Watch in Darkshire, or the armies in Stormwind, keeping the citizens of Lakeshire in town, penned like cattle awaiting the slaughter.

And the slaughter was on its way. Even now, several hundreds of his Orcs, BloodElves, Tolls and Tauren were awaiting his arrival in the lower caverns to begin the trek to the Redridge Mountain passes above Lakeshire. The undead had been sent ahead since it took them so much longer to go great distances.

Soon there would be much blood for the wine.

Even N'gol should be happy again. She had been extremely sulky and irritable of late. She could not find the person responsible for his losing the soul and ruining the poison. He knew she was still looking because of the hours she spent alone in the tower, and the guards and prisoners she had killed as her search drug on.

He kept her on edge with his demands, she worked better that way. A little fear, a little anger, and N'gol would keen her senses sharper.

"My Lord." A guard had opened the chamber door without knocking.

Sidicus looked at the Tauran who had entered his workroom. "You had better have a good reason for this interruption" he growled as he placed his hand on the heft of his Great-Axe.

"My Lord", he began again, "Word has been received. The advance force is all but assembled. The Blackrock Orcs have been reinforced with two contingents of Shadowcasters. Gnoll Brutes and Mystics are in position. They are all awaiting your arrival. We must begin to move before they turn on each other."

Sidicus bowed his head as if weary and rose from the table. He walked over to the door, picking up his pack and rations kit on the way, slinging the one over his shoulders, the other onto his belt. He considered killing the Tauren for the interruption, but the news was too sweet, too expected. Instead he roared at him as he failed to back away far enough and fast enough.

Better to keep him in fear of him. The Tauren stepped back and took a knee awaiting his execution.

Again, a pleasing response, and again Sidicus spared him. Such devotion was rare these days. But he would keep this one near him, to watch him.

* * *

Finally, they were ready to march. The seers had argued and cajoled even almost killed each other for the last month over the meanings of all the signs, bones and tea leaves. But now they agreed that a major upheaval was about to happen in Lakeshire. And Sidicus figured prominently in the telling. He liked that, he liked that a lot.

There was still one seer who felt there was a wild power at work that could affect his plans, but even she agreed that the stirrings were too small and too far away to be of much interest to the plans, just enough to note, and that just a footnote.

One hundred members of The Thunderlord Clan surrounded Lord Sidicus as he left the Thunderlords' Keep. Nothing could get to him without his permission or swimming in its own blood. Sidicus was not the High Lord of the clan, but he had been named Seneschal of the Keep, and given the Baton of Power for this raid. It was his plan they were following, so it was his orders they would obey, or die.

That N'gol could not find the reason why he had felt such … sorrow … when he was at that precise moment in the ritual for the brew, both bothered him and cheered him. It brought him happiness that N'gol could be thwarted in her searching, and concern that N'gol could fail. But that could wait.

Right now he had orders to give, Blood Elves and Tauren and Orcs to organize. They all needed to move in groups small enough so they would not be noticed, until too late. The Orcs were not a problem. He was a Shaman of his tribe so they would follow and obey him. But the Blood Elves and the Tauren were a different matter. Maybe he would use this Tauren slave he had been watching to organize those groups. That way if they were discovered he could kill him and avoid being blamed for it by the other leaders of the various clans that had brought in their warriors for the invasion.

* * *

Rhyanna ran as fast as she could in her animal form. The boy was beset by three Redridge Brutes now and had lost the use of his shield arm. It was only a matter of moments before he would lose his life. She was finally close enough to spring.

She landed right on top of the largest Brute, breaking his neck with the impact of her blow. The other two tried to run, but that just meant they died tired a few moments apart.

Rhyanna padded back to the boy. He was mortally injured, she could see. But he stood there with his shield arm limp at his side and his sword still in his hand. She knocked the sword from him and then changed back into her humanoid form to dress his wounds for what comfort it would give him.

When he saw the Night Elf woman where the large cat had been he nearly fainted. Rhyanna caught him before he slumped to the ground. "This must get to Southwind." He said as he pulled an official letter from his inside pocket. "We caught a dangerous man," his breathing was getting shallower, "in Lakeshire last night, and they have a bounty, for him."

"I will get it to whomever it needs to go to son. You just rest now. Who is it you caught that Southwind has a bounty out for?"

Rhyanna looked into the eyes of the boy. He was fading fast. But his next word, spoken with his dying breath, sent a cold shiver of death down her spine.

"Asharannn . . ."


	7. Chapter 4: Chess Pieces (pt2)

The path to find the items Jordon needed took them far beyond anywhere Sayberry had ever been. Treestalker was amazing. Say would tell him what was next on the list and Tree would sit down and search for a moment, either his memory or some kind of seeking he could do, Say didn't know which, and when he got up he would tell her where they were going.

Sayberry learned a lot in her travels about all the races of Azeroth.

She had begun to believe what she had heard from the rumors of the Knights Keep was true.

Myrdden, her old mage teacher, told her bedtime stories of Knights and Dragons, of Wizards and Warlocks (he insisted there was a difference), of Fairy folk both good and bad. He was old long before she was born, he told her once. It was fascinating what stories he could tell.

Sayberry did her best in the long trip to recount these stories for Tree, but she felt that she was not up to the task. Treestalker never did speak much, yet he listened attentively most of the time. And Say believed she was filling a void in their time together so she did not mind Tree's stoic nature.

Myrddin told her about having actually met her Great-Grandmother, whom Say was named for.

Sayberry Rae Gordon had been a champion of the people of Lakeshire in her day. She was a Paladin of unequalled power and grace. He told her that after one very brutal battle, a seer had spoken a blessing over her that has traveled through her bloodline. She prophesied that someone of her name would conquer the darkness inside and defeat a great evil force with it, saving their Shire and all its inhabitants. She would not see that day, but that her childrens' children would know it was time when a daughter was born on the Solstice and was confirmed on the Equinox.

Well, it was a good story at least. But that story ended up being why she had left Lakeshire for Stormwind City where she entered into the service of the Knights of the Silver Hand, The Paladins at the Cathedral, on the first day of Spring that year. It was a beautiful day she remembered vividly. So she told Tree all about it.

Now her sleep was filled with visions of death and slaughter. And her days were filled with her plans to stop it. This hammer Jordon wanted to make for her would be just the thing to help her change the premonitions. She could see the visions now marching in front of her. She was fighting a Troll with one broken tusk. She saw herself from somewhere away and above herself. She was a mess, but so was the Troll. She watched as she swung her mace, the one she had with her today, and saw the Trolls' second tusk break away. The troll screamed in agony. Then it raised a mace that caught her eye and her heart. It was white with gold filigree inlays and looked like it was made from the Light itself as it swung towards her.

"Say?" She realized that Tree was watching her. "Are you OK Say?"

"Well, yeah. Why?"

"You have been just staring for the last," He looked at the stars, "hour."

She did not want to share this inner dread of hers right now. Instead she changed the subject. "So, why does CitizenSnips grumble and leave the campfire when we are cooking?"

"He does not like the way you ruin good food over the fire." Tree told her after a moment while he asked his pet.

"Well, you should tell him we like our meat cooked rather than raw." Treestalker just stared at her for a moment. "I … like my meat cooked?"

"I will try to explain it to him."

Say just lay down and went to sleep.

Tree watched her sleeping long into the morning hours. She carried a heavy burden, he could tell. But she wouldn't share it. He hoped she was strong enough, and that he was nearby when she needed him.

* * *

"This is wonderful! You've gotten all the items." Jordon was almost as happy to get the items as he was to see that Sayberry had completed the journey.

Another Knight helped Say when Treestalker could no longer travel with her. Samerek guided Say through the Deadmines to what was called the Mast Room. There she found the wood which was the last item on Jordon's list. Now, finally, she was back in IronForge.

Jordon was finished inspecting the materials Say had brought.

"I should have no problem forging you a grand weapon with these. I've actually had the plans for doing this for some time; I just never had the opportunity to gather the goods. Thank you, Sayberry .

"It feels good to have my father's hammer again... and a Kor gem, I never thought I'd see one of these myself.

"Why don't we go over to the forge and get started on this? I've been preparing for your arrival for some time, so it shouldn't take long at all.

"When we're done, you'll be far more prepared to defend the Light than you have been, this much I swear.

"I'll be somewhat honest, Sayberry, seeing the results of your exploits makes me somewhat envious. But knowing that I can contribute to your adventures in my own significant way does bring me some joy."

It still took a long time in Sayberry's way of looking at time. She used the time to write to her brothers and mother about her journeys and repair her armor and weapons. She was also lucky enough to find a vendor who wanted some of the items she had carried back from across the ocean so she had a few coins in her leather coin pouch to make it a profitable journey.

Finally, the hammering and grinding stopped. Sayberry came around to the front entrance of Ironforge to see Jordon standing by his anvil with his creation held behind him. "Here it is, Sayberry, a weapon worthy of a champion of the Light such as yourself. I've named it after a great Dwarven Paladin who was a friend of mine. His name was Verigan... Bosch Verigan. Please take it on behalf of myself and my wife. We owe you a great debt, and the world will be a safer place with one of your skill traveling the land."

It was beautiful. All white and gold, and it seemed the light shone from deep within it as she reached for it. "It is so beautiful", her hand closed on the handle just below the heavy maul and she recited the little prayer of the Crusader and Verigan's Fist, her hammer, began to glow brightly. All the weight was gone as it glowed for about 30 seconds. Then it dimmed and she felt its weight return. The purified Kor gem truly was the heart of this weapon.

"Yes, it is beautiful beyond words. The best I have ever done. Fathers' hammer must truly have some magic in it for it seemed to guide me to exactly where I needed to strike the metal as it was cooling."

A vision unbidden flashed into her minds' eye. She saw again the waking dream of her battling a Troll who wielded this very hammer. Say couldn't believe it. She now held in her hands the very instrument that would … that would kill her.

"Is everything alright Sayberry?" Jordon was concerned now. Say could feel his concern, could read right into his soul. She knew he would be here making special weapons for Paladins for years to come.

"I am just so astonished at the quality of your work, the lightness and the heft of it, the strength I can actually feel in the weapon." She spoke almost as if she were living in her dreams, detached, too distant to be real. She shook off the feeling of dread that had opened up in her gut. "Thank you Jordon. Your father would be proud of what you have accomplished."

Say had to get out of there. She had to take this hammer, this beautiful hammer, and hide it somewhere it would never be found.


	8. Chapter 5: The Inevitability of Destiny1

Sayberry ran, she was not ashamed to admit it, she RAN into the wilds. She had taken a Griffon to Southshore, as far North as she knew to go. Then settled into her pace, jogging further and further away from everything, from everyone, she knew. So focused was she on just getting away that she never saw her attacker until he was upon her.

Her shield slung across her back saved her from his first blow but it knocked her flat onto the ground. Rising and grabbing her mace was a motion she had practiced so often that it was automatic today. Her first swing missed. She recited the prayed of the Crusader as she used the momentum to come all the way around to add to her power and hit her assailant that much harder. Just as she was coming around she took a small step closer to the Troll. She would hit him in the head and that would be that. Her emotions were raw. She sought only power for her swing and found anger in her soul. She embraced it. Hatred rose up from inside her, and the light of Verigan's Fist went out. Verigan's Fist became a heavy lump of iron on a stick and began to drop in its arc.

The Troll leaned back to avoid the blow, but not quite far enough. His left tusk shattered and he went down. The pain, the concussion from the blow, all that power from a human girl so much smaller than he! He writhed on the ground as she ran away. He had to kill that girl! The hammer had glowed until it hit him… Forget the girl, he had to have that hammer.

He rose to his unsteady feet and pursued her into the woods. His pace firming as he ran, he didn't even bother to be quiet now. He caught up to her just as she was jumping into a ravine that ran across her path. He jumped too, only he jumped on top of the fleeing human. She had no chance this time. The hammer flung from her as she went down. He kicked her hard in the gut, ran to the hammer and looked at her wide begging eyes as he Hearthed away!

"NOOOOoooo!". Everything she had done to change or avoid the premonitions had just led her to where she was fulfilling the requirements of the dreams!

**"NOOOOoooo!" **She screamed again and again! She slid into her mind and relived everything over and over again. She watched as Burbus' body was sent away, she could not stop the dreams. She experienced again the trek to get the materials for Verigan's Fist. She saw their eyes, everyone's eyes, full of tears, full of sorrow, full of hope and regret and love. And the dead eyes of all the townsfolks, the children, dead all around her.

An eternity passed. The visions constantly ran through her mind as she tried desperately to find how to change everything, how to make it go away, how to just be a little girl again, safe and warm in her mothers' arms, her grand mothers' house, her great-grandmothers' perfume was like lilacs in the springtime.

She saw the old woman now trying to talk to her. She never raised her voice, she was there and then she wasn't. She was bathed in light and beautiful, and, and, she was smiling at her. She was holding her on her lap. It was the only time they ever met.

Say was playing with the broach she wore on a chain around her neck. "We share the same name you know little darling", she was saying in her old yet still firm voice, "and someday this locket will save your life".

Another vision! Her eyes flew open and she sat straight up in the bed. She was going to run again but she rose right into some very strong arms. She fought a moment until everything overwhelmed her again and she just clung and cried until there were no more tears in her eyes. She went to sleep in those arms, safe for the first time in who knew how long. This time she did not dream.

Far more gently than anyone would have believed, Samerek laid Say back down into the comfort of the bed. He covered her and rose to leave the room. The lilacs he had brought were spread all over the blanket. He did not have the time to even drop them when Sayberry rose up with that wild look in her eyes. Then as she cried he could think of nothing to say, so he just held her until she stopped and went to sleep. He thought he might have to get some more for her to look at when she woke again.

* * *

Hiachi arrived at the cottage where Say was convalescing. He usually knew where she was without having to be told. He had decided to keep a close eye on her ever since the first moment he saw her. He didn't mind watching after her, he liked her.

When he entered he saw Say sitting in a chair facing the fireplace. There was no fire laid but she still kept looking and watching the ashes, as if she were weighing the heavier things of the universe. He thought she looked older somehow.

"Hey, you there?" Say turned and a smile half formed on her face. It seemed to lift some of the years from her.

"Hail Hiachi, how do you fare?" Her voice was soft as a kitten this morning.

Hiachi liked Say, especially when they could be together. "I was out walking in this province and just decided I needed to come by and see you."

Say smiled a little more, "Just how close were you when you decided you needed to come out and see me?"

"Oh come on Say, what's a couple hundred leagues between friends?" He shrugged and then laughed.

She liked Hiachi, especially when he was trying to be nonchalant. "Oh, well, then why didn't you come by sooner?"

"I did, but I was told you weren't feeling up to visitors yet." He forgot for a moment to laugh.

"I am also an official messenger of the King, here to deliver to you your mail." He reached into his cloak while Say pulled back in mock fear holding her hands up to ward off whatever he might pull out. He could pull out some of the most outlandish things sometimes. But out came a small box with a roll attached to it. The seal was still intact.

Say opened the roll first. It was from her mother. She handed it to Hiachi, "Read this while I open the box."

"Say,  
Happy Birthday. I hope this finds you on the 21st,  
but if not then Happy Belated Birthday.

I have been holding on to this since you were a very little girl. It used to be your Great-Grandmothers. She wanted you to have it on this your 25th birthday.

I hope all is well. Write soon dearest."

"Well, Happy Birthday Sayberry." Hiachi looked up so he could see what Say got. She was just staring into the box.

There was nothing else in the world for her at this moment except the box on her lap and that broach on a silver chain within it. "Nothing I do will stop it." She muttered. She had done everything she could think of to avoid the gees upon her, she had run away and been found, she had tried to ignore it, and found herself fulfilling the requirements of her dream. "I may as well embrace it and be done with everything."

"That is beautiful Say. Hey, Ecco has called a meeting of all the Knights. If you want, you can ride in with me. I can ride my horse instead of the mechanical chicken this time." The 'Great Chicken Ride' was a mis-adventure they shared once and now laughed about around campfires and at other less appropriate times.

Say raised the chain over her head and placed the broach neatly upon her breast. "I have something I really need to do right now Hy. I will catch up with you at the Citadel." Say did not believe she would ever see Hiachi again but she could not tell him that. Instead he gave him a bear hug.

"Goodbye Hiachi, and thanks for everything." She went into the bedroom to get changed and slowly but firmly closed the door. She did not notice it then, but the discord that had been giving her headaches since the funeral for Burbus was finally silent.


	9. Chapter 5: The Inevitability of Destiny2

Tonnut paraded around the encampment showing off his new weapon. Many there were that looked upon it with envy or outright greed. The gold inlays caught the light of the full moon almost as much as the white surface did.

He spoke of how the hammer would glow with its own light as it swung through the air. He began thinking about paying a bard to put his story to verse when he was summoned to lord Sidicus' campfire.

Taurent, the Tauran hunter that was sent for him, used the flowery speech of a practiced Herald. "Lord Sidicus, keeper of the Baton of Power, Shaman of Shamans of the Thunderlord Clan, requests the Pleasure of your Presence at his campfire to recount the story of your battle and display your prize taken from our common enemy."

He was escorted with drums and heraldry, "Make way, make way for the hero of the day!" When he entered the light of the fire, Sidicus filled Tonnuts' mug with raw mead from his own drinking horn, then sat down and motioned for him to begin.

All the clan chieftains were there, as well as the shade N'gol who stood behind Sidisus. A more important assemblage could not be had while on a war march.

The drink kept flowing into his mug as he recounted the battle that cost him his tusk. How the warrior had beaten him to within a moment of his life. But his cunning had won the battle as he maneuvered close enough to a bear den so that it attacked the man. Then all Tonnut need do was to come up from behind and slip a knife into the Paladins' kidneys just after he killed the bear.

Tonnut placed the hammer into the waiting hands of his lord and master when he finished. Sidicus inspected it then handed it to one of his Paladins. He held it but it would not come to life. He prayed over it and still it was lifeless. It was handed to N'gol who made signs and murmurings over it.

"It is a very powerful weapon, my lord. At its heart is a purified Kor gem. No man here will be able to use this for anything but a tent maul." Then she looked straight at Tonnut, "but he lies about the last owner of this weapon. It was not a man but a woman who wielded this hammer."

Then she gasped, "It is the same woman you asked me to find, who lost you the soul and destroyed the potion your grace."

Sidicus was on him in a flash "WHERE IS SHE! WHERE DID YOU FIGHT HER! SPEAK!"

N'gol whispered in Tonnuts' mind, "Choose your words wisely, for they may be your last."

A raiding party was sent out within the hour. If they found any trace of the human they were to kill it and everything near it.

Tonnut was kept, with his stolen hammer, in the center of the main encampment. Helgore, the Orc who guarded him, had orders to carry out when the girl was dead.

* * *

Jessibell was in her study trying to make sense out of the reports she had received from all over the realm. Outposts where Horde attacks were frequent and vicious, were now reporting an "all's quiet" for the first time in ... who knew how long.

She had consulted with Dame Ecco and they had decided to call in all available Knights of Justice for a meeting. The Horde MUST be massing for an attack or even an invasion, but where? That was what she had to figure out.

"Are we alone, sister?" The feathery soft voice seemed to float from the wall. Jessibell smiled at the opening question that had become a ritual with Nikytas' visits, then turned to the mirror she had placed upon the wall where her sister would always speak to her from. Having the mirror there gave her a feeling of speaking into a scrying pool when Nikyta would project her image this way.

"You know we are alone sister, otherwise you would not be talking from the wall."

"Then maybe we should not be alone today."

The statement froze Jessibell's heart. It was not a part of the ritual. She stared in surprise as Nikyta walked out of the wall. Her robes covered her from head to toe when she traveled this way. It was to protect her. But she had never traveled into the Keep this way before. "What is it? What has happened?"

"I have some news that seems to be unrelated, and yet my heart tells me it is." Nikyta removed a spirit sphere from inside her robe. Inside was an imp running as fast as it could.  
Then pulled back the hood that covered her face. Her hair fell free of the confinement of the hood. "I caught this outside the Chapel of Light where High Lord Burbus sleeps."

Jessibell knew what that meant. "Did it send a tell?"

"No, dear sister. I saw it. It has not yet seen me." Nikyta smiled shrewdly.

"Then the threat is contained for the moment." Jessibell relaxed noticeably. "What else has happened that would cause you to travel here this way?"

"A Knight named Sayberry has bought a DropDead from a friend of mine."

A Dropdead was not something you bought without reason. It could only be used once so was usually bought by a warrior who expected to die in battle.

There was a banging on the door. Before Jess or Nikyta could say a word the door flew open and Hiachi ran into the room, "SAYBERRY'S GONE!"


	10. Chapter 6: Destiny Revealed

"LET ME OUT OF HERE! DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" The prisoner would not stop yelling.

"You are Asharan, traitor to the Alliance, charged with the murder of countless individuals, associated with Horde activities in …"

Asharan picked up the bucket from the corner of his cell and threw the contents at his jailer who simply stepped aside. The solids clung to the wall while the liquid splashed back, soaking the Marshall from behind and settling into his shoes.

Asharan laughed loud while he watched the man unlock the door to the cell chamber. "I hope you enjoy the smell" was all he said just before closing and locking the door.

Hordeslave slowly stopped laughing, "About time."

Asharan was finally alone. Or so it seemed. The Defias rogue stepped out from the shadows, avoided the mess, and unlocked the cell door. He moved to the side as Hordeslave came out, free again. Hordeslave, Asharan, Murtau, he had a thousand names, but Hordeslave was by far the one that caused the most fear in the people he met.

"The time is upon us Hordeslave, we must proceed with our task." Delvan had wasted enough time waiting. Now it was time to move his people in. He went into the second cell and tapped on the floor in a complicated series of taps and bumps until the sound changed. A little acid poured on the joints of the stones, and a few minutes later the floor fell away into the hole below it.

In a flash there were twenty rogue assassins in the cell.

Hordeslave accepted the weapons handed to him. They were much deadlier looking than the ones he rode into town with. "Remember, we are to cause a disturbance to draw in the guards from the edges of town. Lord Sidicus wants to do a little celebrating of his own before killing them. His Grandfather almost took this town 100 years ago tomorrow, if it weren't for one stupid white-haired girl."

* * *

**_"And there in the balance a girl will stand tall, _**_  
__**The mouse will stand up and roar." **__  
_  
Loeder was studying prophecy today. He continued to read the dry text,

'This particular passage is considered by some to be one that has already been fulfilled by The Paladin of Lakeshire. Others believe it is yet to come to pass since it is first recorded at about the time of the Battle of Lakeshire. And for that very reason, yet others considered it just a lay in a bards tale about ' . . . Loeder straightened up abruptly … "Sayberry Rae Gordon?"

Suddenly things that he had been noticing about their Sayberry, things he could not put his finger on, were beginning to make sense.

Lord Loeder was lost in the account of the Battle of Lakeshire a hundred years ago until he heard a loud banging on a door down the hall from the library and Hiachi yelling, "SAYBERRY'S GONE!"

Yes, it all made sense to him now.

* * *

Say didn't see the Horde warrior come up from behind her. She was just ready to begin eating a small rabbit she had caught when he jumped out of the bushes. She didn't have time to even grab her gloves so she was fighting with her mace barehanded. If she survived, she was going to have some awful blisters.

She began to chuckle at the thought of having to live with blisters since she knew she was most likely going to be dead tomorrow. Then her smile grew a little more at the look of consternation that filled the face of her opponent.

It seemed that the harder she tried to hold it, the slicker the handle of her Skeletal Mace felt. She worked her hands as tight as she could. That is when it happened. The head of the mace lit up with shadow energy and threw a bolt into the gut of the Blood Elf. She instinctively set herself into the balanced stance that Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker had been trying to get her to do for a year. The Elf was stunned by the bolt and beginning to stagger toward her. She stepped forward into her swing. "Nnn-GAAA!" She released her Chi and all the strength she could muster into this one swing that came up under its chin.

Somehow it was satisfying to see its face crumble as her mace made its way up to its scalp. The body flexed its legs outwards, throwing the corpse into the air as it fell backwards into the bushes. Good thing too, Say was not sure she could have eaten the coney if she had to look at the ruined face of her fallen adversary.

Say pondered what the mace had done, and how it had responded to her while she squatted with her back to the cadaver and ate. She couldn't even remember where she had gotten it.

The Skeletal Mace and her Great-Grandmothers' pendant seem to have been waiting for her. Now they were both a part of her. She was beginning to believe she might just live through this appointment she had with Destiny. She also began to wish she had been able to put her gloves on before the fight. She had them on now.

What was it Carlly had told her in Darkshire that day not so long ago, but still a lifetime past? "I _am _a big girl now." Say whispered to herself.

* * *

Hiachi was followed shortly by Dame Ecco, Sir Velthor and Druid Dinraith who came to find out what the noise was all about.

"Hiachi, calm down." Ecco said this more as an order than a suggestion.

Nikyta looked knowingly at Jessibell.

"What is going on here?" Dame Ecco was about to welcome Nikyta when she caught the look that passed between her and Dame Jessibell.

"We were just talking about Sayberry. It seems she bought a DropDead from a friend of Nikys".

Nikyta nodded in support "Some days ago she visited a Regents shop in Southwind. She hid her tabard but enough of it was exposed so the shop owner knew her as a Knight of Justice. He thought I should know about it."

"Sayberry has no need of a DropDead unless …unless she is planning on . . ." Hiachi pulled up short.

"What is it?" Ecco sat down knowing that this may take some time to unravel. Hiachi was not the type of Gnome who was at a loss for words. Velthor leaned against the doorpost. He wasn't going to miss this for anything. It was almost as much fun already as running a drinking contest in Ironforge. Dinraith also pulled up a chair.

Hiachi was worried. As he spoke, too fast at times, he began to unconsciously work his hands. "I delivered a box to her from her mother. The box had a necklace in it that had this broach that was her Great-Grandmothers. She was named after her, did you know that? It was a birthday present from her long dead Great-Grandmother. Her birthday was on the 21st. I didn't open the box, I swear. But I did use a little seeker spell on the box, and the broach was made around a Warding Stone."

"Those are only usable by the first person who touches them after they are made." Dinraith interrupted, if only to give Hiachi a chance to breathe.

"I know that, so I didn't think anything of it. But ever since I left Say for this meeting, I have not been able to feel her presence as I usually can."

"You had a telltale spell on her?" Jessibell asked in that honey sweet tone that to a more discerning ear would have screamed RUN.

Hiachi stopped as he realized what he had just admitted. He swallowed the cold hard lump in his throat and nodded.

Jessibell was furious. "She came to me a week ago acting a little odd, she said she "felt" she was being followed."

Ecco stood up she was so angry, "You know the rules."

"I know, I know. But, She was, She is …" Hiachi sputtered to a stop.

"She is Sayberry Rae Gordon." Lord Loeder spoke from where he now shouldered his way in. "Named after her Great-Grandmother who was the Paladin of Lakeshire according to all accounts of the Battle of Lakeshire, 100 years ago … Tomorrow."

Sir Velthor moved his shoulder to allow Lord Loeder to enter the room. "Say was chosen by the Light as a Paladin on March 22nd at the Cathedral of Southwind. It was the Spring Equinox, three and a quarter years ago. It seems there is a LOT about Sayberry we have not even guessed at.

"High Lord Burbus must have known something because of the way he adopted her. He began training her even before she accepted a tabard and took her oath of Justice to the Knights."

"Chosen?" Ecco spoke in a puzzled voice, forgetting about Hiachi for the moment. "On the Spring Equinox?" There was something about that, "Born on the first day of Summer..." She breathed out, as she began to remember.

Lord Loeder locked eyes with Dame Ecco before reciting for them all what he had just discovered.

**_"Born on the Solstice, on the Equinox chosen,  
Her darkness she'll turn into gold.  
Like a star she'll descend to the valley of death,  
The Justice of Knights to uphold;_**

And there in the balance a girl will stand tall,  
The mouse will stand up and roar."

Into the stunned silence Jessibell whispered "We live in the time of legends."

A shiver ran through them all. Then they all began to speak at once as the gees broke.

"She will need our help."

"But what if she is not the one?"

"Even if she is not the one, SHE will need us there. We must go!" Hiachi was the loudest.

Suddenly Dame Jessibell stiffened, she was receiving a tell.

"QUIET! EVERYONE!" Dame Ecco had the lungs to be heard when she wanted.

"Find her first! Watch her and wait." Jessibell said in response. When Jessibell relaxed, she took a moment to reorient on the people in the room. "Say has been found. Or at least we know what area she is in. Rhyanna has caught her scent near Lakeshire.

"This is not good news." She looked directly at Hiachi who had started to leave until Sir Velthor blocked the doorway. "Rhyanna came across a raiding party and found Sayberrys' scent only a few minutes before the party did. The party did not hesitate one moment before reversing direction. They must have been sent to find Say. Rhyanna has asked for assistance since they are too many for her to handle alone."

* * *

Say awoke early, in that hour before dawn when it was the darkest. Her brother called it "Oh-Dark-thirty". She heard fighting off in the distance. Maybe even on the path she had been on late yesterday.

After she had finished with the rabbit, she broke camp and moved a furlong out of her way. The dead body would attract who knew what vermin and she wanted no more fighting last night. That must be what she was hearing now, local carrion eaters arguing amongst themselves for the choicest pieces of Blood Elf. She used a rag soiled with the Elves' blood to wrap her shoes before backtracking its approach until she saw the small entrance to the cave.

Well, the entrance was blocked well enough now, and the bear that used it in the winter would not be here at this time of the year. She went back to sleep. She was going to need to be as well rested as she could for the battle she knew was coming.


	11. Chapter 7: Prophecy Fulfilled (pt1)

Velthor and Samerek issued the call to arms. No one was excused, if they could hold a blade of grass they had to come to Darkshire. They began arriving in the early hours of the morning. Knights were sent out in teams of five. They were to take up positions around Lakeshire and wait. No matter what happened, they were to wait until the signal. Samerek himself raised the Battle flag of the Knights of Justice above the town hall, the tallest spire in the town.

A tell came to Ecco as she was setting a new party to their task. She paused long enough to receive it and respond. "The raiding party is dead. Rhyanna found a party of hunters to help her dispatch them. They surrounded the raiding party as they were gathered around a dead Blood Elf warrior. Say must have been the one he fought, but there was no sign to tell Rhy where Say went." It was both heartening and frustrating to know that Say had the ability to hide her trail so well that Mistress Rhyanna could not seek it out.

The campfire was Sayberrys', Rhyanna could smell her scent on all the stones that had been used to conceal the ashes. There was a spot where the bones of a rabbit were buried, but only the dead mans' scent led to the fire. Did Say Hearth away? No, there was no lingering presence of magics as there would be if she did that.

Right now Rhyanna needed to find her, needed to get her to safety. Rhyanna heard an explosion and saw a ball of fire high in the air. Moving forward only a few feet she found she was on a bluff above Lake Everstill. The Redridge Mountains behind Lakeshire were alive yesterday with Horde. Today the Horde army was in the Town. Lakeshire was already lost and the sun had just risen above the ridge.

Something was wrong. The Horde were silent. They were all looking east. She looked there also, squinting her eyes to look into the rising disk of the sun. She saw what looked like a piece of the sun slowly falling into the valley.

* * *

They were here. The ornate spyglass showed her the Horde collecting in the center of Lakeshire. There were so many. So many Horde, so many townsfolk prisoners. It was time.

The warlock told her you cannot stop a DropDead so she had decided to carry one, just for today. She hoped to be able to use it to warn the Knights. The vendor had pricked her finger when she bought it and a drop of her blood made it soulbound to her. Picking who to send it to was easy.

She followed Dame Jessibell for days until she had dropped a hair bind. Of course Say was right there to pick up and return the bind. Dame Jessibell was concerned why Say seemed to be behind her so often of late. So she told her about the feeling she had noticed recently of someone watching her. Jess assured her it would be looked into but not to worry, it most likely was a case of new surroundings.

Say used the hair from the bind in the DD and then sewed it into a small pocket she had opened in the lining of her backpack.

Now she tore her pack and took the DropDead out. It had only one use. She said the words and made the signs that activated it. It warmed up immediately, ready for her message. She put the DD next to her temple and the spyglass to her eye and looked at the Bridge then into Lakeshire overrun with Horde.

Time was up, that would have to be enough. The DD was almost too hot to handle now so she threw it up into the air. It was beautiful to watch as it rose fast as an eagle high into the air above her. Then light began to unfold from it making it look like it was unfurling its wings. Until angry red bolts of power began to strike the brightly glowing orb and it exploded high in the air.

The warlock told her you cannot stop a DD, she hoped he was right. Her life may not depend on it, but the lives of all those captives did.

* * *

Jessibell was trying to organize a scouting party to scour the eastern side of LakeEverstill. It was unlikely that Say had gone there but they had already searched everywhere else.

Suddenly she was caught by a tell that was so strong she was totally in its power. She saw the bridge over LakeEverstill, then the Horde in Lakeshire, then she saw herself being thrown into the air by Sayberry. She was free, she could finally fly on her own. She opened her wings to fly … Her entire world turned crimson red then black.

When Jessibell came back to herself Treestalker was holding her up. She sat herself down on the bench that was brought for her and related the message from Sayberry. By this time Dame Ecco, Lord Samerek, Sir Velthor, and Druid Dinraith had gathered when they heard that Say had used her DropDead. Even Hiachi found a way to be near enough to hear.

Then Dame Ecco began to receive a tell from Mistress Rhyanna. "Rhyanna tells me she found Say, She is radiating light like nothing she has ever seen before. Walking down from the eastern ridges into Lakshire. Several bolts of magic have hit Says' Blessing of Protection but nothing is stopping her. She is walking … 'Like a star into the valley of death'."

"The Amulet." Hiachi and Dinraith both said together.

Dame Jessibell stood up. "We stand upon a nexus within the tides of time. It is now our time to join the flow of destiny and defend Lakeshire. What say ye, Knights of Justice!"

A roar of assent, both savage and powerful arose from hundreds of throats.

"Positions everyone." Dame Ecco glanced at Lady Jessibell. Without another word, Jessibell signaled to her other Rouge Assassins and they moved out. In just a few steps they had melted into the foliage around them. Their job would be to deal with the teams operating the Balista, then destroy those war engines if possible.

Dame Ecco, Lord Loeder, Knight Hiachi and a few others formed a circle, turned outwards and began their chants that opened Portals between them and the army of combatants that had gathered there. The portals would help get men and equipment to locations in and around Lakeshire. They worked quickly until only a select group of Hunters and their fierce pets were left.


	12. Chapter 7: Prophecy Fulfilled (pt2)

Sayberry walked right through the Horde occupying Lakeshire as if she was strolling through the park in Southwind on a Sunday afternoon. Nothing the Horde threw at her affected her pace or her appearance unless it was to make the protective shield radiate brighter.

She walked right up to Sidicus who was standing on the dock in front of the town hall. The traitor was on the ground in front of him. He was not dead but he was not far from it. Sayberry spoke her Blessing of Redemption and the man returned from the edge of death to full health. Her Great-Grandmothers' pendant was enhancing any magics she used.

Writhing in agony on the ground next to Sidicus was a Blood Elf Mage. She was holding her head and constantly wailing "KILL HER, KILL HER, SHE IS THE ONE, KILL HER".

The townspeople who were in the square, some taken from their beds, others who obviously had tried to fight but were no match for the sheer numbers of Horde that were here, began to whisper a prayer of hope. "The Paladin of Lakeshire."

Hordeslave did not take the town as easily as he had promised. The jail turned into a slaughter pen. But it did take attention away from the outer areas which made it possible for the Orcs to move in without loosing many. Asharan did not know why Sidicus was so angry with him. Now this mere slip of a girl saves him? He was humiliated, but he would get even. Somehow, he would get even.

Sayberry never looked away from Sidicus. After Sidicus had the shade-mage removed from his presence, Say finally spoke, "I have come for my Hammer".

Lord Sidicus spoke something in his foul language and one of his guards left. No other words were exchanged until the Troll and Verigans' Fist were brought into the circle that had been cleared for Sayberry and Sidicus. Sidicus then took the hammer and spoke to her, "Is this all you want?" His accent was thick but by concentrating Say could understand him.

"Yes." She nodded so there would be no misunderstanding.

Sidicus gave the weapon to the Troll, "Then you must take it from him. But it must be a fair fight." Sidicus raised his index finger, "No shield."

"Do I have your word of honor no one will interfere?"

"You would trust my honor?" Sidicus chuckled and so did several of the creatures around them.

"I would, if you swore on that." Say pointed at the Baton of Power held by a Tauran standing next to Sidicus.

Sidicus stopped laughing. He growled at the Tauran and the Baton was passed to him. "Then I swear," He raised his voice now "YOU AND TONNUT WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH WITH NO INTERFERRANCE FROM ANYONE. The winner receives the hammer"

"I, SAYBERRY GORDON, ACCEPT!"

Sidicus started at the name, "Sayberry Rae Gordon? The Paladin of Lakeshire?"

"That was my Great-Grandmother, but we share the same name."

CAUGHT! He was trapped by his own word of Honor sworn on the Baton of Power. He could not now attack this human and avenge his Grandfather's and therefore his family's honor. A growl began from deep in his chest until it erupted from him in a great yell, "THEN LET THE CONTEST BEGIN!"

Sayberry cancelled the Barrier of Protection she had been in.

Asharan lept to tackle Sayberry, but never completed his attack. Taurent, the Tauren who was by Sidicus' side at all times, saw Hordeslave tense for his attack. Now Taurent lept as well. He slammed into Hordeslaves' side carrying their battle into the crowd.

Their battle was loud but not long. It ended suddenly with Asharans' screaming turning into a gurgle and then stopping. A few moments was all it took before Taurent came back and lay at the foot of his Lord and Master, the heart of the traitor, ripped from his body before he died.

"NO ONE INTERFERRES!" Sidicus yelled again.

Her Paladins' shield in one hand, and Skeletal Club in the other, Sayberry renewed her Seal of Truth as she readied herself again.

Tonnut raised Verigans' Fist and ran at her.

Say whispered the last word of her Consecration as the Troll came in range. Then, when Tonnuts initial charge faltered from the sudden pain in his feet, she pirouetted, dropping her Hammer of Justice and stunning Tonnut so that he fell to his knees. She then finished her swing, aiming for the side of his head with her mace, but missed as he ducked further than she expected.

Now the weight of her mace counteracted her attack dance as it pulled her off balance causing her to take an extra step to keep from falling. She was out of position to drop her Holy Shock spell. All she could do was to walk into the throw of her hammer and reposition.

Tonnut rose from the ground and turned to face her and swung wildly even as Say turned to face him. He caught her shield's edge just enough to slow Say and stun her arm from the twisting impact.

The warlock told her you cannot stop a DD, she hoped …

* * *

Lord Loeder could not believe what he was seeing in the Scrying pool. "They are ALL watching Say battle the Troll."

"Then this is our chance, watch for the optimum moment and we will …"

Suddenly a flight of Griffons descended to circle and then land around the circle of Portals. There was no discussion as the leader of this group dismounted and led his men and women up to Dame Ecco, the Guildmaster of the Knights of Justice.

"I was wondering when and then if, you would get here."

The Paladin merely smiled, then grabbed the Battle Standard and added another flag of the same size to it before he hefted his Two-Handed Battle Hammer and stood tall as the two dozen Knights of the Silver Hand from the Cathedral of Stormwind formed in ranks around him facing outwards. Dame Ecco nodded and the Hunters shifted their formation to surround the Paladins and prepared their ferocious pets for the teleport.

"Hiachi, you have just one chance at this."

"I won't miss." Hiachi had his sphere of influence already formed. All he needed to do was cast it.

This would be the trickiest teleport of them all.

The Casters circled the formation and then each drew a portion of a circle in front of them, carefully not joining the arcs. Myrdden, who had arrived along with the Paladins, cast a small Teleportation bubble over the top of the Battle Standard mast. Then each Caster reached out with their magics and grabbed the bubble and began to enlarge it and draw it down until it lacked only a couple inches before touching the ground. There they held it awaiting the word that would drop the bubble and complete the casting.

* * *

She was all used up. It was getting harder with every move to push the pain of her wounds from her mind. She could feel she had no more mana and she knew she was not far from joining her father in the Light.

She had broken its' second tusk with her last swing.

Now he stood just out of reach and was breathing just as hard as she was. His blood ran from the wound in his head she had given him in answer to the attack that gave her her own head wound. But his blood was running into his eyes so she had the advantage there. He limped hard on the leg she had broken when she blocked his attempt to stun her. She had smiled when he howled on that blow. But now she had nothing left. There was no smile on her lips, only the cold stare in her eyes. She knew one of them was about to die, maybe both.

Still, she refused to give in. She had one last trick, one last attack that required no mana but would take most of whatever life still clung to her. She dropped her battered shield and pulled off her gloves with her teeth, then grabbed her mace with both hands.

The warlock told her you cannot stop a DD, she hoped …

The Troll began to smile and she heard the laughter of the Horde all around her. She could see that he now knew he had won the battle. As he drew back he began to yell something, something she could not understand. Slowly, it seemed, he began to raise her hammer above his head. This was her vision, Say knew this was it, she was about to die.

The handle of her mace began to feel slippery and alive. It was responding to her call. Her mace struck out as the Troll began to swing what would be his final attack. A bolt of black energy shot from the skull shaped head of her mace and struck the Troll square in the chest.

Sayberry fell to her knees even while the bolt was still attached to the Troll. Then everything was moving but nothing was making a sound, life had not stopped, it just refused to make a sound. Her arms were numb and she was falling forwards. The Troll was spitting up lung and dropping backwards, but it didn't matter any more to Sayberry. Her last thought before oblivion embraced her was that the Troll did not kill her, and she smiled.

Sidicus picked up Verigans Fist from where Tonnut dropped it in his death throes. Now he walked over to Sayberry with it. "You want this hammer? As promised, it is yours." Sidicus raised the hammer over his head and brought it down with all his might.

His arms stung from the sudden stop as it encountered a Barrier of Protection over Sayberrys' unconscious form.

Suddenly Sidicus was off his feet and flying backwards through the air. Every Horde invader that was standing around the fallen combatants were thrown backwards as a great explosion ripped up the ground all around Sayberry. Her body was bounced up off the ground inside the Barrier she was encased in. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

In her place stood twenty men and women and their ferocious pets, and a contingent of Knights of the Silver Hand, with Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker setting the Battle Standard in their midst. From it flew the flag of the Knights of Justice, and below that, the very Battle Flag of the Knights of the Silver Hand that had last flown in battle a hundred years ago today. As one they released bows, or fired guns, or dropped Judgements and leapt out into the faces of the nearest Horde.


	13. Epilogue

Dead.

That is what she was, dead. Why else would the air taste so sweet? Where else but in the Light could there be so much warmth and comfort.

"She is beyond my arts." A mans' voice echoed hollowly next to her. It was very distant and full of grief.

"We did everything we could." A womans' voice this time.

"Sayberry", someone whispered in her ear. No, in her mind.

"Say, open your eyes darling". She knew that voice. Her eyes slowly came open. She was lying on a bed that was so comfortable she did not want to sit up. She saw Lady Daivah sitting next to her with Lord Phelps behind her, his hand on her shoulder. It was like they were in the middle of a conversation but she could no longer hear them. Others were leaving the room. Hiachi was at the foot of the bed, crying.

But what attracted her attention right now was the light to the right of the bed. She was so tired that she just let her head fall that way and there was her father. He was smiling at her, smiling for her. She let go the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"There is someone here to see you Say." He said. "He has a gift he needs to give back to you."

From behind her father stepped the bright light. It was High Lord Burbus, just as he had been when they first met. She wanted to get up now, but couldn't and began to be afraid.

"It's all right, Say. It will only last a moment longer." Lord Burbus stood there smiling the sweetest smile. A tear was beginning to form at the corner of his eye. It would fall in a moment. He was holding something trapped in both hands. That was where the light she had seen really came from.

"You did well Say. You did very well. You broke the spell and freed my Spirit before Sidicus could destroy it in his vile potion with your tear of sorrow. You learned to listen to your heart and followed the Path to the Light. You helped a lot of people along the way, and because of you the Knights of Justice were able to save Lakeshire from the Horde. I am so happy for you I can't stop from crying". The tears rolled down his cheek and through his beard to his chin.

"This is for you." As he opened his hands the tears of his joy fell. The first tear fell into his opening hands.

When the tear entered his hands a single heartbeat was heard through-out the entire of the nether realms causing those most sensitive to the ebb and flow of the magics to pause a moment and share the joy of that tear.

Sayberry involuntarily shut her eyes as the light grew so bright she could no longer look at it.

Suddenly the room was dark, the sweet air was gone, and she was cold and aching all over. She had no air in her lungs so she had to inhale. Her lids closing over her dry eyes felt like sandpaper. She wanted to scream, she had to scream, but breathing was like inhaling molten icicles. She breathed in deep and screamed!

In the hallway a quiet procession of Knights slowly, individually or in pairs, walked away from the room where Sayberrys' body lay. Each was wrapped in somber thoughts. They were not far down the hallway when they heard the scream, and a chair overturning behind them. Even as they turned and began to run back to the room they saw a flash of beautiful rainbow colors escape into the suddenly brilliantly lit hallway.

Sayberry was wrapped in comfort and love and warmth. Her pains disappeared, her breathing cooled, her heart slowed. She relaxed into a deep sleep of healing.

"What happened!" "Who screamed!" "Is Say … "

Whispering, because speaking would take too much effort, Phelps spoke. "Sayberry lives, though I don't know how." He held Daivah up since she didn't seem to be able to hold herself. Every ounce of power she could call on went into the healing in that one split moment when she heard Says' heart beat. How she could hear such a thing was beyond her but she did.

Phelps was in action as soon as he sensed the spell being collected and threw a healing over Say in that instant when Daivahs' Lay on Hands power was at its' peak. He sealed in the healing and covered her with restorative warmth. Both were still at work inside that cocoon.

They left the room and faced every Knight in the Citadel. "I cannot tell you what happened." Phelps spoke after he helped Daivah to the bench in a hall alcove. "One moment we saw Say's eyes open and her head rolled to the side as death took her. The next Daivah began to collect power very fast and Say began to inhale. When she screamed Daivah let loose … and I … . All I know for certain is that Say is alive." Tears began to stream down his face, "She has been sent back to us by the Light."

* * *

It took weeks to heal. Every time she asked for someone to just speak a healing over her they told her these injuries needed to heal by themselves. Someone, Lord Shadowbreaker she thought, placed a spell on her that inhibited her from using any spells of her own. It was frustrating.

After she was up and looking for ways to escape the benevolent care of the Cathedral where she had been taken, Sir Samerek came to her. He told her about the battle. About how they had opened portals into every building to move Knights into position while she had fought the Troll. And then how they had got her out of there when they sprung the trap. He told her that her Skeletal Club had been destroyed during the battle. Her shield was also lost but…

He bowed before her and took a knee, "Would you accept these?" and then presented her with a new war hammer designed for her main hand, and a new shield. Both had the signature of the fabled artisan of the Outlands where Lord Samerek seemed to get a lot of little gifts for his casual friends. Say actually began to believe there was just such a person.

When she looked up from examining these new gifts she saw Lord Grayson Shadowbreaker standing at the ready in the hallway just outside her door. "Well? Are you going to learn how to use that? Or will it become just another dusty door prop."

Say shifted her weight into the one stance Lord Grayson hated the most "Do I get to change?"

"Eye, you better do that." Lord Grayson walked off to the practice chamber.

Samerek knew they were each talking about quite a different set of changes.

* * *

The Masters had finally finished renewing all the wards and tells, and adding a few new ones as well, by the time Dame Ecco, Lord Loeder and Dame Jessibell were ready to seal the room. Once this barrier was up, everything inside would be trapped in a bubble of time. Nothing could ever exit and nothing would be able to enter without becoming trapped also, unless they had the words that would drop this barrier.

At a nod from Dame Jessibell, Dame Ecco began the dance that would place the warding while Lord Loeder began the chant to set it all in place. As an added measure of security, since it took three to set this barrier, it would take three to cancel it. One misstep or one word pronounced incorrectly and all would die a very horrible death.

The shimmer as they finished and took a step backwards as one showed that the barrier was in place. Then Dame Jessibell raised the warding stone and spoke the command that caused it to rise up from her open palm. As the warding took effect, the entire front of the chapel, all four doors wide, disappeared into a wall of solid granite.

Without a word, the three turned and left the now empty hall and closed the doors.

* * *

**EXCERPT from the next book,** **Sayberry**

When Rae first saw the bend in the river and the deep hole it created, she just knew she had to have a quick wash. The heat of these last days of summer had left her sticky. And, she knew no matter how diligent she was in her tent she could never be as clean and refreshed with soap and a bowl of water as she would be with a quick swim.

She took off and rinsed out her armor and then soaked her padding and undergarments next to the willow tree where she hung them to dry. She then lithely dove into the deep, cold water of the river. It was like playing in heaven as she swam about until she decided she could dally no longer.

The first inkling Rae had she was in danger came as she climbed out of the water. Her skin seemed to crawl as she felt an energy being collected around her. Without thought she performed her warding ritual just as roots grew up out of the ground at her feet to ensnare her, the protective bubble formed upon her skin and pushed outwards until the lesser vines began to snap.

Rae turned to see her attackers.

"My turn, mon." A lanky looking creature jumped from the bank next to where a woman of his kind and a huge buffalo looking man stood. He splashed through the shallow water that marked the presence of the sandbar that acted as a wall to collect the river water into this one deep swimming hole.

"Be quick Fairaday! We are looking to capture or kill a Champion, not have sport with a little girl." The large buffalo-man bellowed in a language Rae felt she could understand if she didn't try to listen so hard.

"But I like sporting with little, Human, girls." His ear-rings tingling against one another on his large ears as he advanced made music not unlike a wind chime. But the huge  
nose ring worn by the buffalo-man made Rae grimace at the pain it must have caused gbeing set in place. The lanky man thing lazily swung his pearly white mace, knowing he could not attack through Raes' bubble. The mace had been a recent prize taken from a Paladin he had killed a few days ago. He knew he could not benefit from any of the special attributes the Mace could possibly give him, as would its rightful owner. But it was still a good mace.

Rae did not need to understand their speech to know that her honor as well as her life was at stake here. The roots strangling her protective shield began to wither even as her barrier began to fade away. Her attacker raised the pearly white mace to attack while Rae completed her casting and her protective bubble faded out of existence.

Just before it connected with her bare chest, Rae caught the hammer as her outstretched hands completed the gesture. At that same moment lightning struck down from a clear sky in answer to her casting … and her Amulet came to life.

Her hands naturally grabbed the hammer and easily pulled it out of the grasp of the monster even as the force of the blow sent her flying backwards towards the riverbank where her cloths were drying. As she tumbled through the air, it seemed the light of the Amulet cascaded outward and all around her, momentarily consuming her with its brilliance. When they cleared from her body, she was covered in the armor given to her by the White Lady. Finally, the lights coalesced around the head of the weapon which reveled in the strength of the Holy Power it was now bathed in as the Purified Kor Gem came to life within the head of the war hammer. The Gem had lost its master and now had a chance to strike back at the ones who had robbed it of its life-mate. Rae felt new vitality and strength; even her thoughts seemed to come faster.

With a surety and confidence she had not felt a moment before; she used the force of the blow to throw her feet up over her head. The edge of the bank was coming up fast as she swung the mace about until it planted upon the verge of the bank. Her feet came down hard into the soft dirt as the hammer became the focus of her spin and she slid slightly when she planted her left foot behind her to stop her backward movement.

She brought the mace back up to cross her chest, sliding her left hand up to stop the head from hitting her shoulder. Now she was standing a few feet further away but still facing her attackers, fully armored, armed and with a grim expression upon her face.


End file.
